Australia
They played the first two sessions with the intensity of someone pressing snooze. The third session was all beer and skittles as Clarke and North woke everyone up.
New Zealand
Kiwis seemed to be as earnest as a young nerdy kid who gets to hang out with cool kids one day. Eventually they were discarded. Dropping Katich twice before tea was not a highlight.
Who should win
Too early to tell, but New Zealand already need the sort of victory that gets people all excited and almost never happens.
Play of the day
Martin Guptil’s first ball would have been embarrassing if he was playing in a pub side on a Tuesday arvo, which he wasn’t.
Testicular moment of the day
Most people don’t prepare for a test by ending a relationship ship with a tabloid queen, Clarke did, and it seemed to help. If Australia can organise for a messy break up on the verge of every series (surely his mate Warne could help) Clarke could go from pup to big dog.
Working class moment
Marcus North had to grovel at the toes of the selectors to even get a game in this match, then he made a very solid Marcus North like 50, only to find that no one was watching his end.
An innings described in comic book terms
Phil Hughes: whoosh, thwack, crack, ssshwa, argh, shit.
Navjot Sidhu moment of the day
Allan Border on Justin Langer: He’s quite humorous and interesting. And a deep thinker on all things.
Great summary JRod – I have only watched the 50-odd minutes of highlights available free on-line … would have been interested to have been a fly on the wall when Katich had to speak to Punter. Clarkey was a tad lucky – but the boy deserved it, was good to see him to the business – kind of stuck it up the Chapelli’s of the world who claimed he was not Captain material (not that I am certain he should be Australian skipper just yet – but at the moment is obviously the main in waiting) …
No doubt you’ve already seen it, but great article on Cam White in the Age on-line today and his Australian potential – I would like to see him add to his 4 tests. Also – go the Vics for the Shield … fantastic day 3, would be great to see another win for the boys.
On another note – loved your Sutherland post the other day – I played under him at University for a number of years when he was captain/coach (for the record he had a very good if not excellent district career) – very tough and a good coach, good cricket brain, too focused on asthethics – IMO and finally – how’s the magazing coming along?
Apologies for the overly long post.
Waiting for day 3 when Chris Martin will unleash his new bat. The Shitgoose.
I thought it was called the mongmong